Sewer rod reel



L. L. LOOMIS SEWER ROD REEL Dec. 4, 1951 Filed sept. 11, 195o Invenior f Attorneys Patented Dec. 4, 1.951

SEWER ROD REEL Lawrence L. Loomis, Eleva, Wis., assignor of ilfty v per cent to `Herman Halverson, Eleva, Wis.

Application September 11, 1950, Serial No. 184,287

4 Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a sewer rod reel and more specically pertains to a device for handling flexible steel tape for cleansing sewers, passing the tape through conduits and the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved device for handling flexible steel tape, and one which is specically adapted to guide the tape as the same is reeled or unreeled from the device during handling of the same.

The chief objects of this invention are to provide a handling device capable of compactly storing a iiexible steel tape or similar member; for guiding the movement of the tape as the same is wound upon or unreeled from the device; and which shall be especially capable of guiding the tape in different directions from the device during use of the tape.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of apparatus incorporating therein the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the device in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the device in Figure 1.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be apparent that the device comprises a supporting base indicated generally by the numeral I8 together with a cage or reel rotatably mounted upon the base and indicated generally by the numeral I2.

The support base includes a pair of parallel upstanding side walls I4 and I6 provided with reinforcing or brace rods extending therebetween as at I8, and integrally connected with each other as by a pair of foot plates at opposite ends of the same. At substantially their midportions, the side walls Ill and I6 which slope from the foot plates 28 upwardly toward their midpoint, are provided with integral horizontally aligned and laterally outwardly extending apertured bosses 22, each of Iwhich is adapted to removably receive a journal bearing in the form of a sleeve 24.

As will be apparent from Figure 1, the adjacent 24a-84.8) A v 'l ends of these sleeves 24 are aligned fbut in spaced' An axle 28 of any desired constructionextends transversely between the upstanding side walls I4 and I6 of the base and is rotatably journaled in the aligned sleeves 24, the midportion of the axle having a diametrical slot 30 extending therethrough for a purpose which will be later apparent, while the opposite ends of the axle have diametrica-lly reduced axial extensions 32 which may be externally screw-threaded if desired, and

which are adapted to receive crank arms 34 byA means of which the axle may be rotated.

The rotary cage member I2 consists of a drum-` like member composed of a pair of disks 36 and 38 which constitute the side walls of the cage and which are provided lwith thickened peripheral rims 4U which are rigidly connected together as by transversely disposed circumferentially spaced fastening members 42 and which have therebetween in circumferentially equidistantly spaced relation a plurality of axles 44 upon which are mounted anti-friction rollers 46. At their central portion, the disks 36 and 38 constituting the side walls of the cage I2 are provided with outwardly extending tubular bosses 48 by means of which the disk is rotatably journaled upon the adjacent ends of the sleeves 24.

As will be readily apparent from Figure 3, the adjacent or inner ends of the sleeves 24 are coplanar with the corresponding inner surfaces of the side walls 36 and 38 of the cage, to dene an annular space therebetween adapted to receive a steel tape 5U. One end of the steel tape is adapted to be anchored on the slot 36 in the axle 28, and the tape thereupon wound about the axle and between the side walls 36 and 38 which thus constitute a reel for embracing and confining the edges of the tape.

As will be best seen from Figures 1 and 2, the tape is disposed between a pair of adjacent rollers 46 journaled between the side walls of the cage which thus serve to guide the tape as the latter is wound upon or unwound from the axle 28.

It will thus be apparent that the rotary cage constitutes both a reel for retaining the steel tape up the axle and also a rotary guide to facilitate the withdrawal of the tape from the reel and the winding of the same thereon.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly,A all suitable modications and vequiva: lents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. A tape reel comprising a, support base having parallel side walls, journals in said sidewalls, a horizontal axle rotatably mounted in said journals, a resilient steel tape wound. upon said axle,v a cage mounted on said journals, said cage having side walls embracing and confining the edges'of said tape, guide rollers journaled between the side invention, what is walls -of said cage for receiving and guiding the tapeas the :latter isvreeled onto and from Vsaid axle; said base-iside Walls-having aligned apertured bosses, said journals comprising sleevesA received in said bosses and having theirv adjacent endsterminating in spaced relation to each other.v

2. A tape reel comprising a-supportbase havingfparallel sidewalls, journals in said -side walls, a--horizontal axle rotatably mounted in said journals, a resilient steel tape wound upon said axle, a cage mounted on saidjournals, said cage having sidefwallsembracing-and confining the edges ofsaid tape, guide rollers journaled between the side Walls of said cage for receiving and guiding the tape-as the latter is reeled onto and from said a-xle, said base sidewalls having aligned apertured'bosses, said journals comprising sleeves received in said bosses and-having their adjacentends terminating in spaced relation to each otheryset screws in said bossesl releasably fasten- 40 ing'- said sleeves therein.

3; A' tape reel comprising a support base having parallel side walls, journals in said side walls,

a horizontal axle rotatably mounted in said journals. a resilient steel tape wound upon said axle, a cage mounted on said journals, said cage having side walls embracing and confining the edges of said tape, guide rollers journaled between the side walls of said cage for receiving and guiding the tape as the latter is reeled onto and from said axle, said base side, walls having aligned aperturectbosses,Y said journals comprising sleeves received in said bosses and having their adjacent ends terminating in spaced relation to each other, said cage being rotatably mounted upon said Sllel'v 4. A tapereel comprising a support base havingparallel-'side walls, journals in said side walls,

with Athe cageA side wallsand embracing the .edges of said tape.-

' LAWRENCE'- L. LOOMIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following, references are of record inthe file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name i Date 650,712 Eddy MayV 29, 1900.- 690,588. Krex i-- Jan. 7, 19,02

1,199,790 Holcomb oct. 3, 1916v 2,132,548 Stockwell et al. Oct. l1,l938j 2,268,173y BoistureA Dec.v 30, 1941- 

